Sweet
National Black Theatre presents the world premiere of Harrison David Rivers' drama about two sisters in an all-black town whose bond is put to the test when a young man reenters their lives.
Retha and Nina Baker have always been close—folding laundry together, chasing fireflies together, and enduring the summer heat together. But when their mother dies unexpectedly and their neighbor, George, returns home from college, the sisters’ relationship begins to fray and long-held desires threaten to tear them apart. 'Sweet' is a coming-of-age story about the sacrifices we make to hold on to the ones we love.
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- National Black Theatre (Harlem)
Cast & Creatives (10)
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Reviews (18)
4 Critics' Reviews
"Harrison David Rivers’s crowd-pleasing new play...Directed by Raelle Myrick-Hodges on a set strung with clotheslines, Mr. Rivers’s play aims for poetry but settles for cliché. Luckily, Ms. Aharanwa is on hand to elevate the script, bringing a kind of glow to the dreamy, dutiful Retha, whose own stubborn selflessness is her undoing...The political upheaval and the space exploration of the late ’60s are faint background noise...The plot, on the other hand, is a real throwback." Full Review
"The most striking thing about the characters in 'Sweet' is how they exist outside of history...There's nothing wrong with not focusing on any of these issues, but if you make that choice, you should deliver something less clichéd and predictable than what is on offer here...'Sweet' might have been much harder to take but for the fact that it coasts on the talents of W. Tré Davis, Maechi Aharanwa, and Renika Williams." Full Review
"In a breathtaking performance, Maechi Aharanwa gives Retha such radiant life, it is difficult to tear your eyes away from her...Aharanwa’s performance alone is worth the trip uptown, but it’s not all you get for the price of admission. Harrison David Rivers the playwright and Raelle Myrick-Hodges, the director, present a pitch-perfect world that is truthful, real, and obviously offered to us with thoughtfulness and love as a gift." Full Review
"Through Retha and Nina’s tugs-of-war and enduring sisterhood, Rivers paints a picture of the bravery required to stand up for those you love, and for choosing love...Watching these three characters waltz in a cloud of dust between memories and fantasies is an absolute joy. As its title indicates, Rivers’ play has a sweetness that offers real respite from the current socio-economic climate, though the play is not without its own heartbreaks and surprises." Full Review
14 Members' Reviews
See it if You like dramas that take place in the past in rural areas about family or sisters. A good simple show .
Don't see it if Like more involved bigger plots with more characters and more depth to it.
See it if you want to support a worthwhile organization. Better yet, write a check.
Don't see it if The story had potential as a psychological drama but failed. Dialogue was weak, characters not developed,climax completely not believable.
See it if you want to feel dozens of emotions as you watch two sisters and a neighbor/boy friend share their life, set in small black community.
Don't see it if you don't enjoy witnessing ordinary life struggles, the pull and push of sisters with very different personalities yet tied to the same mom
Also I thoroughly enjoyed this play. All three actors were very good. The l... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy small, local theater experiences, you enjoy family experience insights, unraveling of relationships.
Don't see it if You want excitement, flash, who dunnit type of story.
See it if You want to see drama between two sisters. You want to see what happens between sisters when a man is involved. You want to be entertained.
Don't see it if You are not interested in what happens between two sisters in a small town when a male friend that they grew up with comes back to visit.
See it if You want to watch excellent actors perform beautiful language.
Don't see it if You struggle with less story-driven plays. This is about the beauty of the language and the relationships both onstage and off.
See it if you like a like drama with sister to sister betrayal.
Don't see it if you have a problem with drama dealing with the love of a man.
See it if like universal message of love, obligation, sibling conflicts, with a comfortable conclusion in a community based theatre setting.
Don't see it if are not patient with a leisurely paced performance.
See it if You like family based dramas
Don't see it if You expect a more elaborately staged production
See it if You want to take a step back into your childhood memories
Don't see it if You find family disloyalty disturbing
See it if You want to hear an expressive, truthful new voice in the theater who speaks compellingly with humor, compassion, and understanding.
Don't see it if You don't like realism, aren't interested in seeing something that will make you think and feel, and just want to zone out.
See it if You like plays set in the 1960's American south.
Don't see it if You don't like plays that are acted well but slow moving.
See it if You enjoy original productions with exquisite storytelling.
Don't see it if You don't want to be in touch with your emotions or reflect on what brings you joy.
See it if you like shows that are sweet and lovely and nostalgic
Don't see it if you want fast pace, sleek and techno